


An Exercise in Self-Preservation

by themusingsofafangirl



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Domestic, Domestic Castiel/Dean Winchester, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Smut, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-04
Updated: 2013-11-02
Packaged: 2017-12-13 22:06:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/829406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themusingsofafangirl/pseuds/themusingsofafangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of one-shots and ficlets that do not reside in the same verse. If you'd like me to continue any of them, let me know.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Thank You

"Do you know how I found you?" Castiel whispered in Dean's ear as he trailed behind the eager hunter on a path towards Dean's room. "The light of your soul illuminated my way. And when I gripped you tight, I marked you. I marked you as mine." Castiel placed his hand gently over the scar, eliciting a moan from his companion.

The pair stumbled through the doorway and approached the bed, scattering clothes across the room. They landed on the bed, a tangle of naked limbs and curious hands. Dean straddled Castiel and, entwining their hands, leaned down to kiss his angel. After preparing the angel with the various necessary accouterments, Dean entered Castiel, slowly, deliberately. With every thrust, Castiel's eyelids fluttered and Dean encouraged him to keep them open. For Dean, Castiel would do anything, and this was no exception.

As Dean approached completion, he concerned himself with Castiel's neglected cock. With a few measured pumps of his hand, he had Castiel coming, the liquid coursing over Dean's hand to pool on Castiel's stomach. Just one more thrust triggered Dean and he filled Castiel until he finally slid out, only to roll over onto his back. Dean lifted their still clasped hands and kissed each of Castiel's knuckles. "I don't think I ever thanked you for rescuing me from Hell. So. Thanks."

"Anything for you."


	2. Christmas in the Bunker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team Free Will prepares for their first Christmas together.

The newly human Castiel embraced the customs of his adopted species heartily. When the season of Christmas rolled around, he placated an initially grumpy Sam with an unending stream of heavily alcoholic egg nog. Dean was persuaded into helping through some well placed mistletoe and Kevin joined in with the decoration, only needing the promise of doing something normal as incentive. 

Cas led the charge, draping the bookcases with oodles of garland and assembling the required ingredients for a Christmas feast of epic proportions. Dean was the leader of the "Tree Inititive." 

A week before Christmas, after researching local purveyors of Christmas Trees, Dean selected a small, family owned Christmas Tree farm that had just had it's fiftieth birthday. The ragged group inhabiting the bunker set out in a borrowed car ("there's no way I'm letting a tree defile Baby") for the farm. 

The tree they ended up choosing and chopping down was, by no means, gorgeous ("It's really more of a Charlie Brown tree." "I don't understand that reference." "Really Cas? You've been human for months and still don't know about Charlie Brown. Fine, we'll watch it tonight.") but it was their's. Standing ten and a half feet high, it leaned a bit to the left and was a little sparse in the back. Sam and Dean worked together to wrap the tree in lights ("This magazine I saw said to wrap the trunk! Then it looks like it's glowing." "Honestly, Dean. It's only a matter of time before you turn into a fully-fledged male incarnation of Martha Stewart." "Bitch." "Jerk." "Shut it, assbutts. I'm trying to concentrate.")

Three nights before Christmas, the four men gathered in the library to decorate the tree. Accompanied by the soft background music of the local radio station, each put on those ornaments that caught his eye. Dean draped the tree in candy canes that he had purchased earlier that day. Sam carefully placed each individual glass icicle, his donation to the festivities. Kevin went the more traditional route, hanging red and green bulbs on all sides of their tree. Castiel darted between them all, every so often stepping back to assess an ornaments placement as he hung his contribution, homemade gingerbread men ("These better all be here in the morning, Dean" "So that was what was making the bunker smell so good! And why do you never blame Sam or Kevin?")

Aa dawn neared, they all stood back to admire their handiwork. They all agreed that it was the nicest tree that any of them had seen. 

"There's only one thing missing." Dean interrupted the contemplative silence that had fallen in the bunker. "A tree topper." He wandered over to the small pile of presents that had begun to accumulate. Blushing, he passed one of them to Castiel. "Here. Uh, you can, uh, do the honors." Dean let out a nervous chuckle.

Castiel did as instructed, unwrapping and opening the box to reveal a small, carved, wooden star. 

"I don't know if there was actually ever a star," Dean explained, "Or if there was even a Jesus to begin with -"

"There was." Castiel interrupted.

"Anyways. Given our track record with angels, present company excluded, of course, I thought that this might be a better alternative."

"It's beautiful, Dean. Where did you get it?" Sam asked.

"I, um, I made it?" Dean's uncertainty shone through.

"It's the perfect addition." Castiel pronounced, as if there was never any alternative to such a statement.

"Thanks. It really was nothing." Dean attempted to pass off his contribution.

"Bull. This is so cool, Dean!" Kevin assured the older Winchester. "You're gonna have to teach me how to do this some time."

"Sure thing, Kev." Dean clapped Kevin on the shoulder, breaking the tension. "I say we head to bed. Two days 'till Christmas, people! We've got work to do!"

The next two days passed in a blur. A massive stockpile of cookies accumulated in the kitchen ("You guys really need to stop, it's not like we're preparing for another appocalypse." "Shut it, bitch." "Have you seen how many cookies Dean can eat? Anyways, I don't want him touching my gingerbreadmen." "I said I wouldn't touch your damn ornaments, Cas. Relax!") and their scent permeated the bunker. Eventually, Christmas Eve itself rolled around. They gathered around their television for one final viewing of 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' before retreating to their respective rooms to let "visions of sugarplums dance in their heads." 

The next morning, all were woken to the smell of baking cinnamon buns, carefully placed in the timed oven the night before by Kevin ("It's what my mom always used to do"). They assembled, blearily rubbing their eyes, looking like sleepy five year olds in their matching Christmas pajamas (Castiel insisted). 

"Merry Christmas!" Yawned Sam. He received a grunt or two in response.

"Coffee?" Dean enquired.

"Already made."

"You are a perfect human being, Kevin."

After the caffein had been collected and ingested, they sat down to open presents. Dean had gotten Sam a new laptop. Sam had purchased Dean a set of rare classic rock records for his burgeoning collection. Castiel had made the others protective bracelets, each inscribed with personalized sigils to afford protection to only those meant to wear them. Sam and Dean gave Kevin the new iPad and Kevin reciprocated with a set of original copies of ancient spells dating to before the Dark Ages for Sam and a classic car restoration kit for Dean. Sam gave Castiel copies of what Sam deemed were the essential movies in the collection created by mankind. Dean gave Cas a journal ("It never hurts to write stuff down, ya know?" "Do you keep a journal, Dean?" "Yes." "What do you include in it?" "Ya know, stuff." "Oh. Stuff." "I'm sure you'll figure out how to use it soon enough.")

That night, after a sumptuous feast, and a nap of course, they all gathered by the fireplace, each nursing a glass of egg nog. "Merry Christmas everyone." Dean said, nestling even further into the couch. 

"Merry Christmas to all." Murmured Castiel. "And to all, a goodnight.


	3. Autumn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel helps Dean settle into a routine

Autumn has always been Dean’s favorite season. When he was really young, before Sammy was even born, his mother would take him to an apple orchard. Together they’d pick out enough apples for a homemade pie. 

Thirty years later, Cas is the one taking Dean to an apple orchard. Dean entrusts his mother’s recipe to the former angel and the two work together to recreate her masterful pastries. 

Dean reaches around Cas to grab one of the slices of chopped apple and Castiel slaps his hand away. Dean retaliates with a floury bop on the nose. The process quickly devolves from that point. 

Two hours later, they’re sitting in the bunker’s kitchen, in their underwear, covered in flour. They’re stuffing their faces with warm apple pie and Cas is doodling on Dean’s stomach with melting vanilla ice cream.

"Thanks Cas." Dean whispers into Castiel’s ear.

Autumn has always been Dean’s favorite season, and it doesn’t look like that’s changing anytime soon.


	4. Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Castiel raise a baby girl.

She was the most precious thing on earth. Mary Joanna Winchester. Born, September 18th, 2013. Adopted by Dean and Castiel Winchester on September 19th. 

Dean called her MJ or angel. Castiel called her Mary, Jojo or Sweetie Pie (after her Daddy’s favorite food). 

She joined her older cousin, Robbie, who called her boring, and a dog, Zep, who called her furless pup. 

Mary Joanna Winchester was loved and cherished. Her gurgling laugh was the highlight of Dean’s day and Castiel loved nothing better than observing the thoughts in his young daughter’s inquisitive mind. And if he eventually nudged her towards saying Daddy before Papa? Dean would never know that it was a pre-planned Father’s Day gift. Dean would work equally as hard, perhaps without the assistance of grace, to get MJ to acknowledge Cas. 

In their house with a white picket fence engraved with sigils and a Devil’s Trap inlaid into the hardwood floors, the Winchesters passed their time. Zep was walked promptly at seven by whomever she managed to wake first. Dean and Castiel thanked their lucky stars whenever MJ made it through another night unawakened. 

Eventually, she’d bring home boys to meet her Daddy and her Papa. Each teenager would be rejected by Dean, “They’re too reckless.” and Castiel, “I see a hardness in his heart.”

Then, she brought home the perfect match. And seven years later, Robbie was escorting her down the aisle. And Dean stood holding a weeping Cas, all the while denying his own dewy eyes. 

MJ would return to that house with the sigils. This time with her own children, Sammy (short for Samandriel), Henry and Meg. And they would explore the house and ask their grandfathers the meaning of the strange shapes on the walls. 

And finally, Dean would rest his eyelids one last time and Castiel would let him say goodbye and the two would meet again at the gates to await their Angel. 


End file.
